Support clip



G. W. WOOD Jan. 19, 1960 SUPPORT CLIP Filed March 19, 1958 INVENTOR. GROSS W. W000 A T TO/PNE V SUPPGRT CLIP Gross W. Wood, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Raymond George LEsperance, Mill Valley, California Application March 19, 1958, Serial No. 722,458

Claims. (Ci. 40-11) This invention relates in general to an article of manufacture for displaying advertising matter, handouts, notices, contest blanks and the like on store shelves, and particularly to an advertising support clip adapted to hold advertising matter on the front edges of the shelves adjacent the items offered for sale.

In the display of advertising matter upon store shelves, it is frequnetly desired to exhibit or present some special display or material in conjunction with the product being promoted. The temporary positioning requires easy and quick removal. Such display may be an announcement card, or may include handouts such as notices, recipes, coupons, contest rules, blanks, or other material. In the past such material has generally been affixed to the product being sold at the expense of the labor involved, or disposed loosely on the shelf or in a holder placed upon the shelf, usually with subsequent displacement by a careless customer to another shelf, crowding, or spillage. This, in addition to the fact that such methods required and occupied valuable shelf space. Sometimes conventional C-clamps placed over the edge of the shelf are used either to secure the holder in place or actually support the holder. Such clamps are expensive in relation to the possible number which could advantageously be used, wobble in a horizontal plane, permanently mar or mark the shelves so that they become unsightly and need refinishing, and project above and below the shelf surface, which interferes not only with arranging the product on the shelves but also interferes with removal of products by the customer.

The present invention provides an advertising support clip having an insert which fits into the grooves ordinarily provided along thefront edge of store shelves for price markers. A wire or any other suitable advertising support means is attached to the front of the clip. Display material may be held in a terminal wire loop directly above and in front of the product on the shelf, or upon a lower hook element. Clamping means is provided to hold the support clip in firm engagement within the grooves of the shelf facing so that there is no shifting or movement. Advantages of the support clip arethe low original cost, and the circumstance that any form of hoop, hook, hanger or support may be readily attached thereto. No tools are required for insertion or securing of the support clip as this is operated by a screw which may be turned with the aid of a dime or other similar coin which eliminates the need of a screw driver. Furthermore, the inconveniences of the prior art discussed hereinabove are avoided.

Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a means for displayingadvertising or other matter in conjunction with merchandise on a store shelf without occupying shelf space or interfering with access to the goods.

Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, convenient, detachable advertising support clip which fits in firm and secure engagement within the price,

atent ice marker facing conventionally used on the front edge of a store shelf.

Another object of the invention is to provide an advertising support clip having means for holding advertising matter which cannot be jarred loose or disengaged, except intentionally.

Further objects are to provide a construction of maximum simplicity, economy, and ease of manufacture, also such further objects, advantages and capabilities as will fully appear and as are inherently possessed by the device and the invention described herein.

Invention further resides in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and while there is shown therein a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the same is merely illustrative of the invention and that the invention is capable of modification and change, and comprehends other details of construction Without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

The invention will be better understood upon reference to the accompanying description and drawings, in which:

Figure l is a perspective view of the support clip secured in the price mark facing on the front edge of a store shelf;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the support clip member;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view of the support clip taken along line 33 of Figure 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged side elevational view of the support clip on a store shelf facing showing the mode of securing the support clip by reducing the convexity of said clip; and

Figure 5 is a side view of the support clip on the price mark facing of a slanting store shelf.

Looking now to the figures of the drawing where like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views, there is shown a support clip 11 comprising generally a flexible clip 12 secured in a price marker facing 13 fastened to the front edge 14 of a store shelf 16 by means of screws 17 or any other suitable means. The clip 12 is preferably metal formed with an outward permanent convex curve and has its parallel edge portions 18 spaced so that they come within the spacing of the parallel grooves or retainer lips 33. Screw 19 extends inwardly through a vertical central slot 2% in clip 12 in clamping relationship with a fiat nut 21 threaded thereon, the diameter of the latter being sufiicient to constitute a substantial chord on the concave side of said clip 12. A vertical wire support means member 22 may be spot welded to said clip 12 at 23 and 24 on either side of slot 20. Member 22 extends downwardly from welds 23 and 24 and loops upward at 26 and 27 to form a bight at 28 and define a hook 25. Above weld 23 wire member 2.2 is substantially straight along straight portion 29 and terminates in a plurality of contacting contiguous convolutions 31 having sufficient tension to support a card 32 therebetween. It is to be understood that any kind of support or hook may be secured to the clip 12 and can be of single, double or multiple construction.

The price mark facing 13 is a standard extrusion comprising a pair of opposing parallel lips or retainer grooves 33 integrally joined by a central section 34 and spaced apart so as to completely cover the'front edge 14 of the store shelf and provide a rolled front top edge 36. The

rolled trim 36 on price marker facing 13 extends over the top edge of the shelf 16 to improve the appearance thereof and to prevent catching when an article is removed from the shelf.

With reference to Figure 4, the manner of using and securing the clip 12 is accomplished by inserting the clip edges 18 between the lips or grooves 33 of the price marker facing 13. Upon tightening screw 19 against fiat nut 21, the convexity of the 'clip 12 is diminished by the pressure of said nut against the clip so that the edge portions 18 spread apart into a fully retained and secure relationship Within grooves 33 of facing 13. It is apparent that no inadvertent hitting or pulling of the support 29 or the hook 25 will dislodge or move the clip 12, and that the same can only be moved by the simple, quick means of unscrewing the screw 19 and restoring the natural arc of the member. The clip 12 may be variably positioned horizontally in the facing by loosening the screw 19 and sliding the clip 12 laterally. The clip 12 is made with a slot 20 so that the screw head may be variously positioned, as shown in Figure 5.

In Figure 5, the facing 13 is shown applied to the angled front edge of a shelf. *In this instance it may be desirable to bend the upright portion 29 to approximately the vertical position shown in broken lines.

While the invention has been disclosed with respect to several preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations and modifications may be made.

I claim:

1. In a support clip for use in cooperation with a price marker facing having marginal parallel retainer grooves, the combination comprising a convexly curved rectangular portion having a median vertical opening therein and horizontal parallel edge portions for engagement in grooves of a price marker facing, clamping means extending through said opening and adjustable to diminish the convexity of said clip so that said horizontal edge portions will spread apart, and advertising supporting means secured to and extending from said clip.

2. In a support clip for use in cooperation with a price marker facing having marginal parallel retainer grooves, the combination comprising a convexly curved rectangular portion having a median vertical opening therein and horizontal parallel edge portions for engagement in grooves of a price marker facing, clamping means comprising a bolt extending through said clip and a nut threaded thereon, the width of the latter being sufiicient to constitute a substantial chord on the concave side of said clip, and adjustable to diminish the convexity of said clip, and advertising supporting means secured to and extending from said clip.

3. In a support clip for use in cooperation with a price marker facing having marginal parallel retainer grooves, the combination comprising a convexly curved rectangular portion having a median vertical opening therein and horizontal parallel edge portions for engagement in grooves of a price marker facing, clamping means comprising a bolt extending through said clip and a nut threaded thereon, the Width of the latter being Sufficient to constitute a substantial chord on the concave side of said clip, and adjustable to diminish the convexity of said clip, and advertising supporting means comprising at least one wire member.

4. In a support clip for use in cooperation with a price marker facing having marginal parallel retainer grooves, the combination comprising a convexly curved rectangular portion having a median vertical opening therein and horizontal parallel edge portions for engagement in grooves of a price marker facing, clamping means comprising a bolt extending through said clip and a nut threaded thereon, the width of the latter being sufficient to constitute a substantial chord on the concave side of said clip, and adjustable to diminish the convexity of said clip, and advertising supporting means comprising a wire spot welded to said clip on each side of said clamping means, said wire extending downwardly from both welds and curving upward to form a hook thereon and joining to form a bight, and said wire at one of said welds extending upwardly and terminating in a plurality of contacting contiguous convolutions having sufiicient tension to support a card therebetween.

5. In a support clip for use in cooperation with a price marker facing having retaining grooves continuously along its marginal edges, the combination comprising a convexly curved rectangular clip having parallel horizontal edge portions for engagement in the grooves of a price marker facing and a centrally slotted portion, clamp means extending through said slotted portion and including engaging surfaces above and below said slot on the side of said convexity to diminish the convexity of said clip to increase the distance between said horizontal edge portions, and wire holding means extending from and secured to said clip along side said slot.

Slavsky Apr. 2, 1957 Lersch Sept. 9, 1958 

